Sales of efalizumab (Raptiva®) suspended

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has requested for Merck Pte Ltd to suspend the sales of its product, Raptiva® in Singapore. HSA and its Pharmacovigilance advisory committee has reviewed the risk-benefit profile of Raptiva® and concluded that the benefits of Raptiva® in the treatment of plague psoriasis no longer outweigh its risks due to safety concerns including the occurrence of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML). Both EMEA and Health Canada have also recommended the suspension of the marketing authorization for Raptiva®. Patients who are taking Raptiva® should not stop treatment abruptly but consult their doctors as soon as possible to assess the most appropriate replacement treatment. Prescribers are advised not to issue any new prescriptions for Raptiva® and should review the treatment of patients currently taking the drug.
Healthcare professional, Therapeutic Products
Published:

Dear Healthcare Professional Letters

12 Dec 2019

Only abstracts of the Dear Healthcare Professional Letters (DHCPL) are provided on this website. Details of the letters can be found on the MOH Alert System, which is accessible via the Health Professionals Portal (HPP). HPP is a one-stop portal for all healthcare professionals in Singapore. Dentists, medical doctors and pharmacists may access HPP at https://www.hpp.moh.gov.sg/, and follow the procedures below to access the MOH Alert system.

Step 1: Scroll down to the bottom navigation panel of the HPP web page. Under the Healthcare Professionals section, expand the dropdown option for ‘Healthcare Professional Portal’ and select your profession. You will be redirected to the specific HPP web page to log in.

Step 2: Click on the Restricted Content icon on the left panel of the web page and log in via SingPass.

Step 3: Click on the MOH Alert icon under the ‘Applications’ section.

Step 4: Click on the Drug Alert tab to view the DHCPLs.